1. Field of Invention
The present disclosure relates in general to a flowmeter for use in measuring flow in a wellbore. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a wellbore flowmeter that can adjust to different flow rates in the wellbore to minimize pressure losses from the flowmeter.
2. Description of Prior Art
Flowmeters are often used for measuring flow of fluid produced from hydrocarbon producing wellbores. Flowmeters may be deployed downhole within a producing wellbore, a jumper or caisson used in conjunction with a subsea wellbore, or a production transmission line used in distributing the produced fluids. Monitoring fluid produced from a wellbore is useful in wellbore evaluation and to project production life of a well. In some instances transmission lines may include fluid produced from wells having different owners. Therefore proper accounting requires a flow measuring device that monitors the flow contribution from each owner.
The physical presence and placement of most flowmeters introduces pressure losses into the overall flow of fluid in the wellbore. The amount of pressure loss in the wellbore fluid flow can be affected by the size and configuration of the flowmeter. Flowmeters are generally designed so that the pressure losses they introduce are negligible with respect to the pressure of the measured fluid. However, in some instances production from the wellbore can fluctuate and operate at a reduced flow rate, which in turn causes the flowmeter generated pressure losses to exceed a negligible value and begin to introduce error into the measured flowrate.